PROJECT SUMMARY ? Metabolism Core The Metabolism Core provides state-of-the-art, cost-effective, centralized analytical services to ongoing funded and pilot nutrition-obesity research projects for assessment of human body composition, body fat distribution, energy expenditure, and substrate metabolism. Toward this end, the Core maintains instruments, collects and provides quality control data, maintains and offers a web-based scheduling system, and provides staffing by trained technical personnel for a broad suite of measures and services that can accommodate the needs of small pilot studies and student projects up to large R01-level protocols. In addition, the Metabolism Core promotes multi-disciplinary research and training in clinical nutrition and obesity across the UAB campus, and offers training, advice, and instruction to students, fellows, and faculty. Lastly, the Metabolism Core contributes to the development, evolution, and expansion of methodology in fields of nutrition and obesity at UAB by implementing new technology and validating existing methodology in specific populations.